1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape-like connecting device applicable to textile products such as clothing, and women""s clothing with cups using the same. The tape-like connecting device in accordance with the present invention can suitably be used as the connecting device at the center front of women""s clothing with cups of front-hook type. More specifically, the women""s clothing with cups in accordance with the present invention includes foundation clothing such as wire-form type brassieres, bodysuits, and three-in-ones; lingerie clothing such as bra-slips and bra-camisoles; and clothing (dresses) such as leotards, swimsuits, and bra-dresses.
2. Related Background Art
Brassieres not only have a protection function for protecting breasts but also have a bust-uplifting function for lifting up the breasts while adjusting them into good shape. Widely known as a kind of such brassieres is a wire-form type brassier in which an arc-shaped (semicircularly arced or substantially U-shaped) cup wire portion is sewn into a lower curved part of a pair of left and right cup portions covering the respective breasts. Known as such a brassiere is the one in which the respective cup cloths constituting a pair of left and right cup portions are connected to each other via a center front cloth. There has also been known a so-called front-hook type brassier in which the center front cloth is divided into left and right parts, and these left and right parts of the center front cloth are connected to each other by a detachable connector.
For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 57-71407 and 57-74914 disclose brassieres in which the center front parts are connected to each other by a connector which is vertically pivotable in their worn state. Also, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 62-112304, 3-69412, 2-146108, and 3-6406 disclose connectors applicable to front-hook type brassieres, which are not vertically pivotable in their worn state. Further, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 7-6217 discloses a nursing brassiere with a connector at the center front thereof while the connector is not vertically pivotable in the worn state.
The front-hook type brassieres such as those mentioned above are advantageous in that, since the connector is located on the front side of the body (center front), wearing operations become easier for a wearer. Further, in the front-hook type brassieres employing wire forms, since cup wire portions fitting the verg""s line (semicircular contour of the lower edges of breasts) are sewn therein so as to form cup portions, the shape retention and the like of the cups are improved, whereby the bust-uplifting function and volume-enhancing function are realized.
When the wearer exercises a movement accompanying the flexing or twisting of the upper half of the body, however, both cup portions are likely to shift from their initial wearing positions even if wire forms are employed. Also, when the breasts are larger (fuller) than usual or tend to descend or spread apart leftward and rightward, the sides of both cup portions are likely to shift downward after being worn.
In a front-hook type brassiere, in particular, the under-bust part tends to loosen, whereby the cup wire portion is likely to shift. Specifically, for example, a hinge-connecting type connector such as that disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 3-69412 is not vertically pivotable itself in the state where the brassiere is worn. In the prior art, however, a slit-like through hole is formed in the base part of each of female and male parts of the connector, and a woven fabric tape or a nonwoven fabric tab is passed therethrough to sew the connector to the center front cloth, whereby the left and right cup portions are connected to each other. As a consequence, deformations such as bending, flexure, and wrinkle are likely to occur in the tape or tab. The deformations are remarkable, in particular, in the vicinity of the part sewn to the center front cloth and the part inserted into the through hole of the connector, so that the connecting portion of the center front may float up in the state where the brassiere is worn.
As a consequence, the shape retention and stability of cups, which are characteristics of the wire-form type, may deteriorate remarkably. Therefore, the front-hook type brassieres are not widely used among women whose breasts are fuller or tend to descend or young women who regard motional functionality as important.
The circumstances mentioned above also hold true for women""s clothing with cups other than the brassieres, such as bra-slips and bodysuits, for example. Namely, though it is important in the front-hook type women""s clothing with cups that both cup portions be stably connected to each other at the center front and that neither forcible load nor sense of pressure be imparted to the wearer, these requirements contradict each other (being in a so-called trade-off relationship), and it has been difficult for the prior art to satisfy them at the same time.
Problems similar to those mentioned above also exist in the connection between a shoulder strap of the nursing brassiere and its corresponding cup portion, and the connection between left and right back portions at the center back. For example, in a brassiere, in which the back portions are connected to each other at the center back, the connector at the center back does not have a role of connecting left and right cup portions, which hold breasts having a fixed weight with elasticity/flexibility, to each other, or directly supporting the cup portions. However, depending on the figure of the wearer or the degree of movement, the tape or tab at the back center having the connector attached thereto is likely to deform, whereby there is a possibility of uncomfortableness or looseness occurring.
Also, in non-wire front-hook type brassieres, the conventional detachable connectors are likely to cause the tapes or tabs for supporting the connecting members to deform. Therefore, suitable and stable connections have been hard to realize. Further, it has generally been difficult to stably connect one part to another part in a detachable manner while maintaining flexibility in textile products other than women""s clothing as well, thus leaving a demand for developing a new connecting technology solving these problems.
In order to solve such problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape-like connecting device which is applicable to various kinds of textile products such as women""s clothing with cups and can stably connect individual parts of a textile product such as both cup portions of a brassiere to each other in a detachable manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide women""s clothing with cups of a front-hook type which is excellent in easiness of putting on and taking off, without deteriorating the characteristics of the wire-form type that it is excellent in the bust-shaping property and the cup shape retention and stability, and without deteriorating the comfortability in worn state due to the looseness or dislocation.
The tape-like connecting device in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of tape members adapted to be sewn to a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a composite fabric thereof; and a pair of connecting members disposed respectively at front ends of the pair of tape members and detachably connected to each other; wherein each of the pair of connecting members has a connecting portion and a base portion which are integrally formed from a piece of plastic, each of the base portions of the connecting members is fixed to the front end portion of each of the pair of tape members, and has at least a depression so at to allow a sewing needle to be inserted through the front end portion of the tape member.
In accordance with the present invention, since the base portions of the connecting members fixed to the front end portions of the tape members are formed with the depressions, which allow a sewing needle to be inserted through the front end portions of the tape members, the front end portions of the tape members can be sewn to a cloth of a textile product or the like, while the plastic-made connecting members themselves can firmly be attached to the cloth. Also, since the base end sides of the tape members can also be sewn to a cloth or the like, the tape-like connecting device can be attached to individual parts of the textile product stably and firmly, while the individual parts are detachable from each other by way of the connector (a pair of connecting members).
The tape-like connecting device of the present invention may be configured such that the front end portions of the pair of tape members are embedded in the base portions of the pair of connecting members, while the depressions are formed in both sides of the base portion at respective positions corresponding to each other. In such an embedding type, while the connecting members are firmly connected to the tape members, the positions of depressions in both sides correspond to each other, whereby a sewing needle can travel through these depressions so as to sew the connecting device to a cloth or the like.
In the tape-like connecting device of the present invention, the pair of connecting members may be formed by inserting front end portions of a pair of tape members into a molding die and injecting a plastic into a cavity of the molding die. In this case, since the depressions of the connecting members can automatically be formed when the position of a tape-member-pressing protrusion projecting into the cavity (hollow for injecting the plastic) is adjusted, products having the same specification can be mass-produced, whereby the cost can be cut down.
In the tape-like connecting device of the present invention, the base portions of the pair of connecting members and the front end portions of the pair of tape members may be fixed to each other by a plastic adhesive. This configuration is suitable for a low volume production of a wide variety of products since the connecting members can be formed beforehand and, in a later step, the tape members can be bonded thereto, for example, by a low-temperature adhesive.
The tape-like connecting device of the present invention may be configured such that the pair of connecting members are formed from a thermoplastic, and their base portions and the front end portions of the pair of tape members are fixed to each other by heat-melting and hardening the thermoplastic. This configuration is suitable for a low volume production of a wide variety of products at a low cost since the connecting members can be formed beforehand, melted by ultrasonic heating or the like in a later step, and then hardened after the tape members are impregnated with the plastic.
In the tape-like connecting device of the present invention, the pair of connecting members may be connected to each other so as not to be pivotable with respect to each other in a direction along a tape surface of the tape members. In this case, a plurality of individual parts of the textile product to be connected can be held stably. This configuration can suitably be utilized in wire-form type front-hook brassieres in particular.
In the tape-like connecting device of the present invention, the pair of tape members may comprise a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a nonwoven fabric; a composite material including a resin added to these materials; a patched body in which these materials are patched together by way of a resin; or a laminate in which one of these materials is laminated with a fiber cloth (e.g., the one in which the fiber cloth and the resin are laminated or bonded together). In this case, tape members which are highly fixable to the plastic-made connecting members and easy to be sewn to a cloth or the like can be realized at a low cost.
The women""s clothing product in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of left and right cup portions each having an arc-shaped cup wire portion sewn to a lower curved part of the cup portion; a back portion connected to side edge parts of the cup portions; a pair of left and right center front cloths having respective end portions sewn to the lower curved parts of the pair of left and right cup portions on the center front side thereof; and a tape-like connecting device having a pair of left and right tape members with their base end portions sewn to the respective cup portions on the center front side thereof, and a pair of connecting members disposed at respective front end sides of the pair of left and right tape members and detachably connected to each other so as not to be vertically pivotable with respect to each other; wherein the pair of connecting members each has a connecting portion and a base portion which are integrally formed from a plastic, each of the base portion being fixed a front end portions of each of the pair of tape members, each of the base portions being formed with at least one depression, the front end portions of the tape members being sewn to front end portions of the center front cloths by way of the depressions.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, since the front ends of the center front cloths are sewn to the tape members at the depressions of the plastic-made connecting members, the front end portions of the center front cloths can be overlaid on and secured to the front sides of the connecting members. As a consequence, the front ends of the pair of left and right center front cloths can further be drawn toward the center front, whereby the left and right cup portions can approach the center front. Also, the plastic-made connecting members can be hidden behind the center front cloths that contact the skin in the worn state, thus making it possible to improve fashionability which has tended to be inferior in the front-hook type. Further, the center front cloths and the plastic-made connecting members are directly secured to each other by way of the depression, thus making it possible to avoid the demerits of the conventional front-hook type brassiere or the like that they are open (separated backward and forward) at the front end portion.
Also, in the present invention, the base end portions of the tape members are sewn to the cup wire portions having a rigidity, together with the center front cloths, and the front end portions of the tape members are sewn to the front end portions of the center front cloths at the depressions of the plastic-made connecting members (hook) fixed thereto, while the pair of connecting members are made so as not to be pivotable. As a consequence, the tape-like connecting members and the center front cloths mutually supplement their functions of connecting both cup portions to each other, whereby the under part can be stabilized in so-called front-hook type brassieres and the like as well. Therefore, the breasts fitted into both cups as being closely lifted up together from their sides by the wearer""s own hands at the time of wearing can continuously be lifted up as a whole smoothly from the verg""s line side while being brought closer to each other from their sides for a long time after being worn, without being dislocated or getting out of shape, whereby a natural and beautiful bustline is continuously formed.
The women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention may be configured such that the front end portions of the pair of tape members are embedded in the base portions of the pair of connecting members, while the depressions are formed in both sides of the base portion at respective positions corresponding to each other. In such an embedding type, the connecting member is firmly connected to the tape member. Also, since the positions of depressions in both sides correspond to each other, a sewing needle can travel through these depressions so as to sew the front end portion of the tape member to the front end portion of the center front cloth, and the connecting member can firmly be secured to them.
The women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention may be configured such that an elastic under tape is attached to a lower edge part of the back portion, the under tape extending to lower portions of the center front cloths and being sewn thereto, the front end portions of the center cloths and front end portions of the under tape being sewn to each other by way of the depression of the connecting members. In this case, in addition to the center front cloths, the under tape is further secured to the plastic-made connecting members, whereby the tape-like connecting device, the center front cloths, and the under tape sewn thereto are united together and function as the connecting portion between both cup portions. In particular, since the under tape substantially loses its elasticity as being sewn to the nonelastic center front cloths, the three-dimensional shaping effect caused by sidewise centering and the stability would further improve.
The women""s clothing with cups in accordance with the present invention may be characterized in that the base end portions of the tape members are sewn to respective lower edge parts of the cup portions on the center front sides thereof, and the lower edge parts of the cup portions, the under tape, and the tape-like connecting device are positioned on substantially an identical plane in the worn state. In this case, the cup wire portions attached to the left and right cup portions are connected to each other in a further stable state, whereby the shaping property and shape retention would further improve. Namely, since the tensile force generated by the elastic back portion at the time of wearing is exerted in the direction of a curve (a direction along the under bust of the wearer) on substantially an identical plane connecting the lower portions of the lower curved parts of the cup portions having the cup wire portions attached thereto and the tape-like connecting device disposed therebetween, the upper parts of the cup portions are stabilized without being pulled rightward and leftward due to the bulge and weight of the breasts, whereby an excellent sidewise centering effect can be realized without constraint.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, the sewn position between the cup portions and the tape members may be shifted toward the center front from the sewn position between the cup portions and the under tape. In this case, the plastic-made connector (a pair of connecting members) is positioned at the apex of a triangle whose base is the cup wire portion held between these two sewn positions, whereby the stableness of the center front at the time of wearing would enhance.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, the plastic-made connector constituted by a pair of connecting members may be hinged together with a maximum opening of 180xc2x0 on the skin side. In this case, the connecting structure can be prevented from bending at its middle portion (the part corresponding to the connector) toward the front side (the side opposite to the skin) at the time of wearing, and the wearing action itself is easy.
The women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention may be configured such that the tape-like connecting device has a width greater than that of the wire bias of the cup wire portion but not greater than 25 mm. When it is thus made broader than the width of the wire bias, then the connection between both cup wire portions can be prevented from becoming insufficient. Also, when it is thus set to 25 mm or less, then the independent relative movements of both cup wire portions caused by movements of the wearer can be restrained from being restricted in excess.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, the pair of connecting members may be formed by inserting front end portions of a pair of tape members into a molding die and injecting a plastic into a cavity of the molding die. In this case, since the depression of the connecting member can automatically be formed when the position of a tape-member-pressing protrusion projecting into the cavity (hollow for injecting the plastic) is adjusted, products having the same specification can be mass-produced, whereby the cost of the women""s clothing product with cups can be cut down. Also, since the fixed portion between the plastic-made connecting members and the connecting tapes can be made thin, its feel is favorable.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, the base portions of the pair of connecting members and the front end portion of the pair of tape members may be fixed to each other by a plastic adhesive. Since the connecting members can be formed beforehand and, in a later step, the tape members can be bonded thereto, for example, by a low-temperature adhesive, various kinds of tape-like connecting devices can be prepared, whereby this configuration is suitable for a low volume production of a wide variety of women""s clothing products with cups.
The women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention may be configured such that the pair of connecting members are formed from a thermoplastic, and their base portions and the front end portions of the pair of tape members are fixed to each other by heat-melting and hardening the thermoplastic. Since the connecting members can be formed beforehand, melted by ultrasonic heating or the like in a later step, and then hardened after the tape members are impregnated with the plastic, various kinds of tape-like connecting devices can be prepared, whereby this configuration is suitable for a low volume production of a wide variety of women""s clothing products with cups at a low cost.
In the women""s clothing product with cups in accordance with the present invention, the pair of tape members may comprise a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a nonwoven fabric; a composite material including a resin added to these materials; a patched body in which these materials are patched together by way of a resin; or a laminate in which one of these materials is laminated with a fiber cloth (e.g., the one in which the fiber cloth and the resin are laminated or bonded together). In this case, tape members which are highly fixable to the plastic-made connecting members and easy to be sewn to the center front cloths and cup wire portions can be realized at a low cost, and their feel can be improved.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.